


Little One's Nightmare

by Fangirl_Forever



Category: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Angst and Feels, Comfort/Angst, Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Family Feels, Light Angst, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 17:08:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10903767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl_Forever/pseuds/Fangirl_Forever
Summary: Little One has learned about his immortality and what it means for Alec to be mortal.





	Little One's Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> Another fic written and posted to Tumblr before BOEN, so again Max is referred to as "Little One". If anyone's getting annoyed by that, I apologize but I'm not gonna change anything I wrote in the past.   
> *I don't own these characters.

The screaming woke Alec first, due to his Shadowhunters training. It only took him a few seconds to recognize the screams belonged to his son and jump into action. He roughly shoved Magnus’s shoulder a couple times to wake him and climbed out of bed. He snatched up the pajama bottoms he had discarded before going to bed as he ran from the bedroom. By the time he was across the hall in front of his son’s bedroom door, the screaming had stopped. 

Before Alec could open the door himself, it was flung open and suddenly his son was throwing himself at Alec’s legs, sobbing. Alec was thrown off balance and landed on his butt. Little One immediately climbed into his lap and wrapped his arms around Alec’s neck tight. 

Alec wrapped his own arms around the boy and started rocking him back and forth, shushing him and whispering comforting words in his ear. By the time Magnus joined them in the hallway, Little One’s sobs had been reduced to hiccups. 

Magnus placed his hand on Little One’s back and looked at Alec. Alec shrugged in response to Magnus’s questioning look. Together, they waited in silence until Little One finished crying and was ready to talk, each trying to comfort him through loving words and touches. 

It felt like forever before their son lifted his head from Alec’s shoulder. He unwrapped his arms from Alec’s neck and rubbed his eyes, which were puffy and red from crying. He sniffed and wiped his nose with the sleeve of his pajama shirt. Alec and Magnus watched him patiently as he composed himself. 

Little One broke the silence after several tense minutes. “I had a nightmare,” he whispered. He wrapped his arms around himself and leaned against Alec’s chest. “You were gone, Daddy. Dead. Like we talked about the other day. You were dead and I was looking for you and trying to find you and calling you but you wouldn’t answer and I couldn’t find you and I was all alone and it was horrible. Daddy I don’t want you to die!” Little One threw himself against Alec again as he shouted the last sentence, his words chilling and horrifying both Magnus and Alec. 

Alec felt his eyes water as he resumed shushing his son, stroking his back. He looked at Magnus over Little One’s head and caught the glimmer of tears in his husband’s eyes too. Alec’s eventual death, as well Magnus’s and Little One’s immortality, were constantly the elephants in the room in their home. Something they rarely discussed but were both aware of. 

With Magnus’s help, Alec stood up with Little One in his arms. He carried his son to their bedroom and sat down on the bed with him. Magnus joined them a moment later after retrieving Little One’s blanket and favorite stuffed toy from his bedroom. He set them on the bed and sat down beside Alec, wrapping his arm around Alec’s shoulders. 

Alec leaned into him and gently shook Little One to get his attention. Little One lifted his head and turned his face up to look at Alec. Alec wiped his tears away with one hand and smiled down at him. “It was just a nightmare, baby. It wasn’t real. You know that, right?”

Little One sniffed and nodded. “But, Daddy, you’re not immortal. You won’t live forever like me and Papa. So one day you will be gone. And we’ll still be here, without you.” Little One’s lips trembled as his eyes filled with more tears. 

Alec shushed him by pulling him against his chest tight. He sniffed back his own tears and tried to speak calmly. “Listen to me, baby. Yes, one day I will die. Some things die and other don’t. It’s just how life is, baby. Nothing can change that.”

Alec paused to blink back his tears before continuing. “But even after I’m gone, you won’t be without me. You’ll have all the memories we make together, and I promise from now on to take lots and lots of pictures and videos that you can look back at when you’re missing me. And you’ll still have Papa so you won’t be alone. Ever.” 

Alec lifted Little One’s head with his hand so he could look him in the eye. “Now listen to me. You will never, EVER, be alone. Understand?” His son nodded and mumbled a quiet “I understand, Daddy.” Before he leaned against Alec’s chest again. 

Alec nodded his head at Magnus and they simultaneously shifted until they were laying on their usual sides of the bed, with their son laying between them. 

Little One snuggled his blanket and stuffed toy close as Magnus settled the comforter over them all. Magnus and Alec grabbed each other’s hands and rested their joined hands over their son’s body. 

They stared at each other for a long time, communicating without words. Finally, they shared whispered “I love you"s and drifted off to sleep together.


End file.
